A written representation on practice (1, 500 words)
Rational of the Theological Representation Approach
I have decided to use the Creativity and Spiritual Wisdom method of this theological reflection because it permits a deep understanding of the experience and the thoughts engaged. Then it advances into creating a graphic from those thoughts and by questioning the image we may develop an information to what really was taking place and use theology to help us to comprehend this understanding. Thus, resulting in action or an understanding of future activities in similar happenings. [1]
- Thick Description
Someone in the church (A) was organising a surprise get together for the vicar and his partner (VW) for his or her 25th wedding anniversary with authorization from all of those other family. They were organising it as a friend rather than as a member of the congregation and therefore it was a non-church event. It had been mentioned to the people in the church as they would obviously be asked as friends of the couple. There is an component of pressure between certain users of the congregation as they believed that it should have been done through church which was indicated to the cathedral wardens, who had also been asked to assistance with the party, and A. This led to a disagreement between A and another member of the congregation (B) one Sunday day before the service. This is witnessed by some individuals although they cannot hear that which was being said. It have however come out that this issue was solved quickly once tensions acquired calmed down.
The pastoral situation originated from someone (J) who had observed this altercation. J has been a member of the congregation for quite some time and is rolling out an in depth pastoral romantic relationship with the vicar and his wife and the member of the congregation. She was worried about how exactly B got be cared for through this situation. Over the course of the week various text messages had been dispatched via social marketing between A, J and various others in the congregation concerning this altercation, the party generally and views about it. The messages got become somewhat hurtful and not appropriate. J acquired become quite upset about any of it and went to talk with the VW to ask if A would stop mailing text messages to her. J do say that she cannot go into detail about the announcements and why they'd were only available in the first place as she didn't want to ruin the delight.
It transpires that the information continued to be sent which has a convinced that the wonder acquired be spoiled and was placing the blame towards J. Because of wanting to keep the surprise J contacted myself. I found with J on a Friday night time in church with the majority of the meeting detailing what experienced transpired within the last week. J was very agitated and furious about what was going on in terms of the messages. I allowed her to speak and reassured her i was hearing that which was being said but clear that we had not been agreeing with her view about A although was sympathetic towards her feelings about what possessed happened. I was also aware that J did not like A but the reason for this was unknown if you ask me. Others had also recognized this dislike and I talked about this to J. I also remarked that A was a liked person and folks were observing J's activities as not so nice. J needed exception to this comment and defended what she got said and done by declaring that something experienced happened with A in a past church that nothing folks were aware of.
The assembly concluded with a decision that I would talk with A and ask for the text messages to avoid, that I'd reassure A also that J had not spoiled the delight, J arranged that she would not react to any messages which were sent to her with regards to the party or anything else along similar lines. We done by praying and J thanked me for hearing.
- Feelings
2. 1 Reflections on Personal Thoughts of the Situation
Personally, the whole situation felt a little petty and experienced no feelings towards this example and felt that this could be sorted out. Yet I used to be aware there would have to be further reconciliation of J and A as feelings ran deep of dislike towards one another.
2. 2 Representation on J's Feelings of the Situation
The feelings which were clearly noticeable by J in this situation were:
- Anger - towards A due to altercation with B
- Frustration - asked for the messages to stop and they possessed continued
- Shock - she have been challenged over her frame of mind towards A
- Power - knew information that no-one else realized about A
When reflecting on these thoughts being viewed I experienced that the underlying elements to all or any of the was a feeling of jealousy towards A and the VW's newly formed friendship and for that reason an element of displacement by J in her romantic relationship, which was finally a pastoral one, with VW.
- Image
Based on the thoughts mentioned previously the image that involves mind is:
This image shows the child-like nature of the situation (the messages dispatched via social multimedia), the exclusion or recognized exclusion of 1 from a group, and finally both who have combined off not being conscious of the individual or the feelings of the individual who have been excluded.
- Theology
4. 1 Biblical Passages
The biblical passages that indicate jealousy which could speak into this situation are:
- Genesis 37 - Joseph and his brothers being jealous of his romantic relationship with their daddy.
- Proverbs 27. 4 - "Anger is cruel and fury overpowering, but that can stand against jealousy?"
- Luke 10. 38-42 - Mary and Martha being with Jesus
- Genesis 4 - Cain and Abel and the jealousy of how God favoured them
- Mark 10:35-45 - Wayne and John asking to remain at the right and left side of Jesus and the result of all of those other disciples
- Reflections on the Biblical Passing - Genesis 37
The passage i felt reflected this situation the best was of Joseph and his brothers being jealous. Joseph obtaining his coat from Jacob is an indicator of love towards his son to the exclusion of the other sons/brothers. The brothers' a reaction to this example was one which resulted in Joseph being segregated from his family as they sold him to be a slave.
The brothers' effect could not be covered within them but was publicly acknowledged between them and towards Joseph himself with a lack of greeting or salutation. [2]
The advertising of Joseph should not have took place, and was not actually planned but the opportunistic aspect of the brothers, helped bring a situation to go which eventually was utilized by God for a larger purpose (Gen. 50. 20). The hatching of a plan to inform Jacob about the death of Joseph possessed wider issues for the brother as their fathers' grief was great. [3]
The brothers' jealousy led to the pain of Joseph as a slave and then in jail. The pain of Jacob in the act of grief over Joseph, the storyline does not reveal of the life of the brothers and Jacob but the grief would have been a long running concern within the house hold. The brothers was required to live with knowing that they had induced this grief.
- Parallels between your Thick Explanation and Biblical Passage
If the folks in the dense information were the biblical personas it would be: A was Joseph, J was the brothers', VW was Jacob also to an extent I had been the caravan of Ishmaelites.
J's jealousy of A was great and in effect trying to 'sell' A to me as someone who was of 'no value' and a 'trouble machine'. Reflecting upon this now I possibly could notice that if this is to carry on then there may be great pain for VW in the long-term and then your ripple aftereffect of this amidst the cathedral community.
- New Insights and Action
Reflecting on the theology of Joseph which pastoral care situation I would have dealt with it in the following way:
Not challenged J's behaviour towards A in the original instance. I should have listened to the problem that was being raised and handled that in the manner that I did so. I'd have then organized another meeting with J to go over her behavior and frame of mind towards A.
In a follow up pastoral good care situation I would have addressed the thoughts of J towards the relationship between A and VW. I would have asked her to talk about how seeing the relationship form made her feel and just why she felt that this might be a concern. Hopefully over time she would have observed her jealousy was not necessarily something that should have been an issue. This may have taken a few pastoral encounters to come to a summary. There may have also been a dependence on a time of reconciliation between J and A and also a session between J, A and VW to go over the feelings between your three of them. I would have been a good person to accomplish this when i was natural in the situation and had a romance with individuals involved where there may be honesty and openness.
Word Matter: 1563
Appendix 1
This situation was part of a more substantial situation that soon unravelled within the chapel community so the new activities and insights are speculative as to how I would have handled the situation if it had continued.
Bibliography
Killen, Patricia O'Connell, and John De Beverage, The Fine art Of Theological Reflection, 1st edn (NY: Crossroad, 2014)
Longman, Tremper, How To Read Genesis, 1st edn (Downers Grove, Ill. : Authentic Media, 2005)
Mounce, William D, The Crossway Broad Concordance FROM THE Holy Bible, 1st edn (Wheaton, Ill. : Crossway Catalogs, 2002)
Thompson, Judith, Stephen Pattison, and Ross Thompson, SCM Studyguide To Theological Reflection, 1st edn (London: SCM Press, 2008)
UpChurch, John, and Association Counselors, "Genesis 37:4 Commentary - John Gill's Exposition ON THE Bible", Bible Research Tools, 2017 <http://www. biblestudytools. com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/genesis-37-4. html> [accessed 17 March 2017]
[1] Killen and Beer, The Fine art of Theological Representation, p. 21
[2] UpChurch, Exposition of the Bible, <http://www. biblestudytools. com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/genesis-37-4. html>
[3] Longman, How to Read Genesis, p. 151
